Jayden Daniels is back.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn announced Friday that Daniels will start the Week 9 clash against the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.
“Jayden will be back. We’re all pumped for that,” Quinn said in his press conference. “He’s just got a unique way about him, elevates the others as we’re going through things. He’s hard to defend with two plays that could take place—he gets outside running and passing. We’re really pumped to have him here.”
Daniels missed the Commanders’ 28–7 loss to the Chiefs last week after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 7. He also was sidelined in Week 3 and Week 4 due to a knee sprain.
Daniels has been a full participant in practice all week, and Quinn confirmed Friday that Daniels looks like himself again on the field.
In five games this season, Daniels has thrown for 1,031 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception—adding up to a 97.7 passer rating. He’s also rushed for 211 yards and a score on 44 attempts.
The Commanders have gone 2–3 in the five games Daniels has started under center with wins over the Giants and Chargers and losses to the Packers, Bears and Cowboys.
How did Mariota fare as the Commanders’ QB in Daniels’s absence?
The Commanders went 1–2 with Mariota taking Daniels’s place under center, beating the Raiders in Week 3 but falling to the Falcons and Chiefs. In those three starts, Mariota threw for 576 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions—good for an 89.5 passer rating.
Mariota will return to his backup role holding the clipboard Sunday night when the Commanders host Seattle at Northwest Stadium.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dan Quinn Officially Names Commanders’ Starting QB for Week 9 vs. Seahawks.
